Rotatable lantern.



w. HEMPEL.

ROTATABLE LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- I3, 1915.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

attain M3 THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cu.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. HEMPEL.

ROTATABLE LANTERN. APPLICATION HLED MAR. 13, 1915.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

awuwboz THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

FT@E.

WALTER HEMPEL, OF, PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

ROTATABLE LANTERN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

. Application filed March 13, 1915. Serial No. 14,115.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownrthat I, .WALTER HEMPEL,

citizen of the United States, residing at Pitcairn, in the county of Allegheny and,

State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotatable Lanterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in car signals and more particularly to a device for reversing the signal lamp or lamps on locomotlve tank cars, tenders and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical deviceof this character usual position on the train and without the necessity of climbing up over the tender or tank.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will not be rendered inoperative by reason of snow, ice, coal or other foreign matter coming in contact with it and which will set within the outside lines of the tank or car so as not to form an obstruction or interfere with the ordinary use of the car.

With the above and other objects inview, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a rear end view with parts in section showing a portion of the tank car. or tender having my invention applied; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional viewtaken on the plane in-" dicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the oscillating lamp supporting base; Fig. 4; is a detail section taken on the line .1-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a view of a pneumatic cylinder which may be connected to the lamp operating rod and used for actuating the same by means of compressed air, steam or the like; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the lamp and the bracket; and, Fig. 7 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes the tank car, tender or other car to which the invention is applied and 2 represents a substantially rectangular frame in which the signal lamp 3 is mounted. The box-like frame 2 is fastened by bolts 4 or other suitable means at the opposite sides of the car 1 and they partially inclose the lamps to support and protect them.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings Ihave shown but one lamp on the left hand side but it is to be understood that asimilar lamp is used on both sides and each has upper and lower cylindrical portions 56 which rotate freely within removable bearing loops 78 the ends of which are detachably secured by screws or similar fastenings 9 to opposite sides of the horizontal arms 10 or a U- shaped bracket 12. On the body portion or upright portion of the bracket 12 is formed a dove tail lug 13 adapted to fit in a similar shaped socket 14 formed in an attaching plate 15 secured by screws or other fastenings to the inner face of one wall of the easing 2 as clearly shown in Fig. l. The bracket 15 has preferably formed on one of its sides a tubular socket 16 in which the staff of a signal flag 17 may be removably arranged. Y

The bearing bracket 12 steadies the lamp in its rotary or oscillatory movement and the lamp is supported by providing its base ed to enter between angle metal plates. 19 secured in spaced parallel relationon a rotatable supporting member or disk 20. The latter as shown in Fig. 1 has a radial flange 22 to which is secured a radially projecting arm 23 and on its base is formed a cup shaped portion 2 1 to receive a convex hearing member or block 25 arranged on the bottom of the frame or casing 2. The bearing block 25 and the disk 20 are formed with vertically alined pivot openings to receive a pivot 26 preferably in the form' of a bolt having its head countersunk in the top of the disk 20 and a nut 27 applied to its lower extremity below the bottom of the casing 2, see Fig. 1. It will be noted that the interlocking connection between the base of the lamp and the rotating member or disk 20 will cause the lamp to be turned when the arm 23 is actuated around the pivot 26.

The arm 23 is connected to a longitudinally extending operating rod 28 arranged along the side of the tender and said rod may be actuated manually or by compressed air, steam or other power. The rod 28 extends along one side of the tender or car and to protect it against snow, ice, coal and other foreign matter it is preferably arranged in a tubular casing or pipe 29 which may be secured in place by eye bolts 30 or other faste-nings and one end of which projects into one of the walls of the casing 2 as shown in Fig.2. To permit of the manual operation of the rod 28 a handle 31 is provided upon it within convenient reach of the fireman and at such point is also arranged a locking device consisting of a bearing block 32 to be bolted in place and having rectangular opening 33, see Fig. 4, to receive the rod 28, the latter being preferably similar shaped in cross section. livoted at 34 on one end of the bearing 32 is a latch or dog 55 having a weighted end and handle 36 and two oppo- .ends37 may be dropped into said notch to lock the lamp in its other position. It will be understood that the notches 3839 are so positioned that the lamp will be given a quarter turn at each operation of the rod 28.

When the rod 28 is to be operated by power thecylinder 40 is provided containing a piston 41 the rod 42 of which has a forked apertured end which may be connected to the apertured end of the rod 28 by a removable pin as will be readily understood. The movement of the piston 41 is limited by stop screws 43 in theends of the cylinder and at each end of said cylinder there is an inlet valve 44 and an outlet valve 45. The two inlet valves are connected by branch pipes to a supply pipe 46 which leads from a suitable source of supply of compressed air, steam or other actuating fluid. Each inlet valve 44 is operatively connected by an operating rod 47 to the outlet valve at the opposite end of the cylinder so that when either inlet valve is opened by operating the operating rod 47 the outlet on the opposite side of the piston is likewise opened as will be readily understood on reference to Fig. 5. "Fromthe foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, theconstruction and operation of the invention will be readily understood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

- Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

The combination of a casing for attachment to a car having an opening in its bottom, acircular bearing block having a convex upper surface and a fiat base to rest on said bottom, said block having a central pivot opening alining with the one in the casing bottom, a circular lamp supporting member having a flat top with a central pivot opening, the said member being provided with a cup-shaped bottom to rotate on said bearing block, a pivot bolt arranged in said pivot openings and having its head countersunk in said lamp supporting mem-,

her, a radially projecting actuating arm on said lamp supporting member, a pair of spaced parallel angle metal strips secured on the flat top of said lamp supporting member on opposite sides of said pivot opening, an attaching plate secured on one of the upright walls of said casing, a U-shaped bracket having detachable engagement with said plate and provided with upper and lower bearing loops, a lamp having upper and lower cylindrical portions to rotate in said loops, and a rectangular rib centrally arranged on the bottom of said lamp to enter between the upright flanges of said angle strips.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- WALTER HEMPEL. Witnesses: ROBERT LAVENDER,

CHARLES BOSTEDO.

, ,Copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. Q. 

